Car coupling



may. 20. 1923, I v 4355 O. H. LE COMPTE ET AL CAR COUPLING Filed. Feb. 2'7, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 1 WE H LEUMFTE'} iNVENTORs:

ATTORNEY Mar. 20, 1923 O. H. LE COMPTE ET AL CAR COUPLING 2 shets-sheet Filed Feb. 27, 1920 mvm WN ENEE/NE H6 Lmfmww A/KH W Patented lit/liar. 211), lldZBt ONESIME H. LE COMPTE AND FR H. LE COMPTE, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA,

ASSIGNORS, JBY DIRECT AN D MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LE COMP'IE. STAND- ARD AUTOMATIC DRAWBAR AND CONNECTOR COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLO- l-r in CAR COUPLING.

Application filed February 27, 1920. Serial No. 361,891.

T all whom it may concern: Referring, by numerals, to the drawings. Be it known that ONESIME H. Ln COMP E A and B designate the heads of the coupling, and FRANK H. Ln CoMr'rE, citizens of the which are identical structures and which are 55 United States, residing in the city of ()klapreferably of cast construction and Whose homa, in the county of Oklahoma and State design permits both to be formed in the of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful same mold with a resultant economy in con- Improvements in Car Couplings, of which struction to which is added the feature that the following is a specification, reference any coupler of this type may be employed 60 being had to the accompanying drawings, at either end of any car. Our invention relates to improvements in Inasmuch as the two heads are identical automatic car couplers. we will describe in detail the one head only,

Our primary object is to provide means of as follows: simple and inexpensive construction which Projecting forwardly from the front of 65 will operate, with certainty under all ordithe head-is a fixed jaw 1, occupying a posinary conditions, to automatically couple tion wholly to one side of the longitudinal cars. median line, and which has formed on its A further object is to construct a coupler inner face a vertical recess 2. On its outer, in a manner facilitating assemblage, having lateral face the jaw 1 is provided with a 70 special regard for reducing the rep-air or uplongitudinal tapering rib 4.. The aw 1 with j keep expenses. its recess 2 and rib l is preferably formed as A still further object is to provide a an integral part of the head and said head simple connection between the draw bar and except for the base of the said jaw is formed coupling head arranged to permit relative as a hollow shell, comprising a top wall 5, a vertical and rotative movement between the bottom wall 6 and side walls 7 and 8.

draw bar and coupling head. The opening 9, formed by the space be- A still further object is to provide means tween the base of the jaws 1 and the walls additional to the usual pivot pin fon assist- 5, 6 and 8, is of substantially the same area ing the pivot pin in transmitting the draw and ,contour as the jaw 1 and is arranged to @0 bar pull to the coupling head. receive the jaw of a companion coupling,

With the forego'ing objects in view, the and, the wall 8 is provided with a way 10, invention consists in the novel construction, of longitudinally tapering formation for the arrangement and combination of parts as reception of the rib 4 of the companion con-- hereinafter fully, clearly and concisely set pling, and by this expedient the two heads 85 forth, definitely pointed out in our claims are brought to the same plane when brought and illustrated by the accompanying drawtogether.

ings, in which; Pro ecting laterally from the base of the Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair of coujaw toward the wall 8 1s a stud 11 whose forplings, in coupled position, constructed in ward upper and lower corners are chamfered W accordance with the invention. and formed in the inside face of the aw is a Figure 2 is an elevation of the couplings, longitudinal channel 12 for the accommodaas shown in Figure 1. lawn of the stud of the companion coupling,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, vertical secand by preference the forward lower corner tional elevation taken on the line 3- 3 of of the channel is chamfered tofloact l l l W Figure 1 the coupling pins being shown in chamfer of the stud 11 to guide the aw 1n a5 elevation. the head of its companion. Figure at is a sectional plan view taken on Formed thI'Ougll the top andbottom Walls the line 4--4 of Figure 2. 5 and 6, respectlvely, immediately to the Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view rear of the base of the aw are the holes ma taken on the line 5- 5 of Figure 1 looking 13 and 14, the hole 14 being located wholly in the direction of the arrow. to one side of the median line of the Figure 6 shows a plan and an elevation head while the hole 13 is of greater area and view of the key plate hereinafter described extends over, or spans, the median line, as

best shown in Figure 3, and formed in the top wall in advance of the hole 13 is a notch 15.

Formed in the side wall 7 immediately to the rear of the holes 13 and 14 is a slot 16, and formed in the top wall 5 and bottom wall 6 adjacent the, rear, open end of the head are the relatively aligned holes 17 and 18 bar head preventing further relative verti- On the inside faces of the side walls 7 and 8 transversely aligned with the holes 17 and 18 are the opposite Vertical ways 20 and 19.

The holes 13 and 14 are arranged to receive the coupling pin 21, whose body or stem is preferably of rectangular or noncircular section and said stem carries at its inside lateral face a lifting stud 22 whose forward lower corner is chamfered for elevation by the lower, forward chamfer of the channel 12 of the jaw. F or the samereason the pin is provided with a second elevating element, such as 23 arranged to be moved by impingement with the upper for ward corner of the jaw.

At the top the pin is provided with a head 25, which determines its lower limit of movement.

The pin is further provided with a manipulative element 21 arranged for extension through the slot 16.

Formed on the bottom face of the lower wall 6 of the head there are the parallel guides 28-28, and a stop 29 having a setscrew 30 for adapting the head for train line couplings, not shown.

The draw bar 34 comprises a head 35 whose section permits it to be extended freely into the rear open end of the head A and through which there is formed a hole 36 for the reception of the pin 37 which extends through the holes 17 and 18 in the head A. s

As shown the head 35 is provided with an integral perforated strap 38 spaced from the lower side of the head 35 through which the pin extends and positioned between the head and strap is a key-plate 39 perforated to receive the pin 37 and provided with wings 40 which loosely reside in the ways 19 and 20.

The key plate 39 constructed and arranged as shown assists the pin 37 in transmitting the draw bar pull to the coupling head so that with the form of key plate shown the draw bar pullis distributed to four points on the coupling head,the pin 37 transmitting the pull to the top and bottom walls 5 and 6, respectively, and the key plate 39 transmitting the pull to the side walls 7 and 8 through the wings 40 of the key platel The key plate 39 mounted in the draw bar head 35 and having the wings 40 working in the ways 19 and 20 while assisting the pin 37 in transmitting the pull to the coupling head permits relative movement, vertical and rotatlve, between the draw bar head and wall of the coupling head with the draw cal movement between these two parts.

Extending rearwardly from the head 35 0f the draw bar is a bifurcated stem 41 provided with a contracted mouth 42 at its rear end which is arranged to receive the end 43 of the draw bar proper 44. It is obvious that the draw bar head 35 may be integral with the draw-bar 44, although they are shown in two parts which may be held to gether, in any well-known way, as by the bolts 43.

The end 43 is provided with shoulders 45 which fit over the reduced mouth ofthe stem 41 and'serve to connect the draw bar elements in a manner to prevent relative longitudinal movement, the stem 41 and the end 43 being held together by the bolt 43.

As shown the forward ends of the fixed jaws 1 are inclined rearwardly and inwardly so that in the event the heads are swung on the pins 37 to not align with the trends of the cars such jaws will coact to swing the coupler heads to relative alignment.

In Figure 3 we show the upper forward corner of the head 35 of the draw bar as provided with-a cam-chamfer 35 and the coupling head with a bevelled rib 35 extended transversely thereof and depending from its upper wall 5.

By this expedient the coupling head by reason of the beveled rib and the chamfer of the draw bar isgravity actuated to tend toward alignment with the draw bar and thus facilitate the couplin of two cars.

In the act of coup ing two cars equipped with couplings constructed as just recited,

the chamfers on the jaw 1 engage the elements 22 and 23 and thus lift the coupling pin 21 to permit the jaws to enter the heads to a point where the recesses 2 of the jaws will reside within the coupler heads and to the rear of the couplin pins so that the heads 25 of the pins wil be dropped into the jaw recesses 13 and thereby form a double or two pin coupling.

The pins and jaws serve to hold the coupled heads against'movement in any direction, but by reason of th pivotal con} nection, namely, the pins '7, the heads have fiexure relative to the drawbars.

An uncoupling is effected by an elevation of the coupling pins, which is accomplished by lifting both handles 21 which raises both coupling pins at the same time thereby releasing both jaws.

An economical advantage arising from the construction of the couplings as described is that due to the making 01' the structure in a number of parts such as the head proper, the pins, and the two part draw bar the assemblage is facilitated and the replacement of broken or damaged pieces much reduced in cost over such couplings as are cast or formed in one piece.

\Vhat we claim:

1. The combination with a coupling head and a draw bar of a pin for pivotally connecting the head and draw bar, a strap carried by the draw bar and a key, said pin passing through said head, strap and key for connecting the strap and key to the head.

2. The combination with a coupling head and a draw bar, means for pivotally connecting the-head and draw bar, a strap integrally carried by the draw bar, and a key, said first-mentioned means being pivotally connected to the key to permit relative vertical movement therebetween.

3. In combination with a. coupler head having opposed Ways in its inside face, a draw-bar arranged for extension into the head, a pin for pivotally connecting the head and bar and a key secured in said ways and engageable by said pin.

4-. A coupler comprising a couplin head, a, draw bar, a pivot pin connecting said coupling head and draw bar, and means pivotally connected to said pivot pin and coacting therewith for transmitting the draw bar pull to the coupling head.

5. A coupler comprising a coupling head, a draw bar, a pivot pin connecting said coupling head and draw bar, and means pivotally connected to said pivot in. and coacting therewith for transmittmg the draw bar pull to the coupling head, said means and coupling head beln movable relative to each other-in a vertica plane.

6. A coupler comprising a coupling head, a draw bar, a pivot pin connecting said coupling head and draw bar, and means associated with said pivot pin for transmitting the draw bar pull to the coupling head, said means and said coupling head being relatively movable in a vertical plane and said means being revolvable relative to the pivot pin;

7. A coupler comprisin a coupling head, a draw bar havin a hea a pivot pin connecting said coup ing head and said draw bar head, and means pivotally mounted in said draw bar head for assisting said pivot pin in transmitting the draw bar pull to the coupling head, said means and said coupling head being relatively movable in a vertical plane.

8. A coupler comprising a coupling head, having opposed vertically disposed ways, a draw bar having a head, a pivot pin connecting said coupling head and said draw bar head, and a he plate mounted in said draw bar head ant having opposed wings extending into the ways in the coupling head and slidable therein, said key plate and coupling head being relatively movable in a vertical plane.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

ONESIME H. LE COMPTE. FRANK H. LE COMPTE. 

